AaronNight's recent activity
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Comment on How is Linux these days? in ~comp
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Comment on I need advice, which laptop would you buy now? in ~tech
AaronNight LinkI had a MacBook Pro 2017 (the last model with Intel) for 7 years. It was my main machine for everyday use and development. I felt that macOS was too restrictive, and as a power user, I wanted to...I had a MacBook Pro 2017 (the last model with Intel) for 7 years. It was my main machine for everyday use and development. I felt that macOS was too restrictive, and as a power user, I wanted to tune the environment to my needs.
About a year ago, I decided to buy a new laptop. My final options were the Framework Laptop and ThinkPad T15 (AMD). The userbase for Framework is much smaller than for ThinkPad, so it was more difficult to find insightful and deep reviews of Framework, especially comparisons to MacBook Pro. At the same time, the community of ThinkPad users seemed divided, and their discussions often devolved into arguments over matters of taste. I was also aware of sentiment regarding quality decline, and I heard it a lot from people who had been using their ThinkPads for decades. Anyway, I decided to take a risk and buy the T15 Gen 2 AMD.
My main concerns were the screen and touchpad, since I had never seen a laptop with the quality of these elements close to MacBook. Many online reviews also mentioned that the keyboard of the T15 Gen 2 is much worse than the previous model. Surprisingly, to my taste, everything turned out even better than my previous MacBook Pro 2017. The screen and touchpad are perfect, the keyboard is even more comfortable than the one from MacBook Pro, and performance and battery life with Fedora installed are great. One drawback though: the sound quality of the internal speakers is poor, which is true. But since I usually use good headphones, it doesn't bother me at all. I'm very happy that I made the switch and regret not doing it earlier because of my belief in MacBook superiority.
I can recommend finding a store with physical laptops on display and checking for yourself if the materials and build quality are suitable for you. Performance is not a problem for any modern premium laptop, as far as I know. The battery life might be slightly worse than MacBook Pro. The temperature under load could be noticeable, but you should expect this from any powerful laptop. Overall, I think if you're not happy with your MacBook Pro, make the switch. At least you'll be able to try alternatives and decide for yourself how good they are.
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Comment on How do you decide when to buy a new computer, smartphone, etc.? in ~tech
AaronNight LinkManufacturers typically provide a one to two-year warranty, guaranteeing free repairs for any manufacturing defects during this period. Most devices last much longer though. I use a simple rule: I...Manufacturers typically provide a one to two-year warranty, guaranteeing free repairs for any manufacturing defects during this period. Most devices last much longer though. I use a simple rule: I plan to upgrade after double the warranty period. For phones, this means 4-5 years. While your device may still function after this time, newer software is optimized for newer hardware, and you'll likely notice performance decline. I keep my old phone as a backup and check it regularly.
Desktop PCs and laptops can last even longer. My previous PC served me for 10 years with occasional component upgrades, only becoming obsolete when hardware standards changed. My MacBook Pro lasted 7 years until it developed screen issues — repair shops couldn't fix it because they considered the model "vintage". With the ability to upgrade components, computers can remain useful for up to a decade.
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Comment on Stremio is an impressive program in ~tech
AaronNight LinkI have a question off the topic, but still relevant. I see a lot of people here recommend using Real Debrid, but do you think it is still reliable considering their recent piracy policy change? If...I have a question off the topic, but still relevant. I see a lot of people here recommend using Real Debrid, but do you think it is still reliable considering their recent piracy policy change? If not, what do you choose as alternative?
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Comment on A Tildes post inspired me to create a collaborative art project in ~arts
AaronNight Link ParentGood idea! Also, it might help to channel creativity if there will be certain topic for each week. For example, let's say that this weak is about food that is trying to escape the square, or about...Good idea! Also, it might help to channel creativity if there will be certain topic for each week. For example, let's say that this weak is about food that is trying to escape the square, or about forest walk. I think it might help people to engage more.
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Comment on What hard scifi books could you recommend? in ~books
AaronNight Link ParentYes, it is a good story to start. I also could recommend Double Star and Stranger in a Strange Land. But be aware that it was written 65-70 years ago and may feel outdated.Yes, it is a good story to start. I also could recommend Double Star and Stranger in a Strange Land. But be aware that it was written 65-70 years ago and may feel outdated.
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Comment on What hard scifi books could you recommend? in ~books
AaronNight Link ParentThank you! I've read all the books in the series, and I think that the most interesting idea to me, the "Dark Forest" paradox, was in the last book. I feel that the writing style of Three Body...Thank you! I've read all the books in the series, and I think that the most interesting idea to me, the "Dark Forest" paradox, was in the last book.
I feel that the writing style of Three Body Problem is more similar to the science fiction of classic American authors of the twentieth century. It has less focus on science and more emphasis on exploring human behavior in unusual settings. While the writing style might feel somewhat simplistic at times, the ideas presented are intriguing.
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Comment on What hard scifi books could you recommend? in ~books
AaronNight Link ParentOh yes, I'm kinda fan too :) I've read The Island and Giants, and as far as I understand FFR is a prequel to the series? Somehow I missed this book.Oh yes, I'm kinda fan too :) I've read The Island and Giants, and as far as I understand FFR is a prequel to the series? Somehow I missed this book.
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Comment on What hard scifi books could you recommend? in ~books
AaronNight Link ParentGood point. What I particularly appreciate in science fiction is when authors incorporate cutting-edge scientific theories as foundational elements of their storytelling. The most compelling hard...Good point. What I particularly appreciate in science fiction is when authors incorporate cutting-edge scientific theories as foundational elements of their storytelling. The most compelling hard sci-fi doesn't just use science as window dressing, but explores how technological advances fundamentally reshape human society and consciousness. So it is definitely not about space pirates.
Peter Watts's Blindsight (and notes at the end of the book specifically) exemplifies this approach brilliantly. His extensive research into evolutionary biology and neuroscience to develop the vampire subspecies demonstrates the level of scientific rigor I seek in hard sci-fi. While the technical details of the vampire biology may be complex, the way he weaves this scientific framework into the larger narrative about consciousness and intelligence is masterful.
The book you mention is quite intriguing, thank you. I'll try to find it.
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Comment on What hard scifi books could you recommend? in ~books
AaronNight Link ParentThat's cool! Thank you! I've thought a lot about what defines hard science fiction as a genre. Beyond using futuristic settings to explore humanity, I believe there should be real scientific...That's cool! Thank you!
I've thought a lot about what defines hard science fiction as a genre. Beyond using futuristic settings to explore humanity, I believe there should be real scientific hypotheses underlying the fictional technologies that shape these settings. After all, that's what makes it science fiction.
Robert Heinlein was a master of such exploration. While his books may seem somewhat outdated today, I still enjoy the human aspect of his stories. One of my favorite books is The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. In this story, one of the main characters is a computer that became so complex that it gained sentience and developed a sense of humor. This computer felt empathy toward people who were surviving in the lunar colony and helped them become free from Earth's government. It's a very inspiring story.
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Comment on What hard scifi books could you recommend? in ~books
AaronNight Link ParentThank you for your recommendations! I've heard great things about The Expanse and will definitely give it a try. I've already read Project Hail Mary and really enjoyed it, but found it somewhat...Thank you for your recommendations! I've heard great things about The Expanse and will definitely give it a try.
I've already read Project Hail Mary and really enjoyed it, but found it somewhat naive, so it didn't quite satisfy my craving for hard science fiction. But anyway, I'll look closely to what Andy Weir writes, since I like a lot of his novels.
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What hard scifi books could you recommend?
Warning: this post may contain spoilers
Hello! Could you please recommend some hard science fiction books? I am struggling to find a good one. My favorites are Blindsight and Echopraxia by Peter Watts, but I have failed to find anything similar.
I also enjoyed The Martian by Andy Weir and The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells, though in my opinion, these aren't quite what I would call hard science fiction.
Additionally, I enjoyed books that blend fiction and non-fiction, like Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality by Eliezer Yudkowsky and Gödel, Escher, Bach by Douglas Hofstadter.
What are your favorite hard science fiction books?
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Comment on Two sides of the same coin in ~humanities
AaronNight LinkI think not knowing the state of a coin flip is a little different from Schrödinger's paradox. I'll try to explain it. The concept of a coin flip serves as an excellent analogy to illustrate the...I think not knowing the state of a coin flip is a little different from Schrödinger's paradox. I'll try to explain it.
The concept of a coin flip serves as an excellent analogy to illustrate the differences between classical and quantum mechanics. In the macroscopic world, a coin's state is determined upon flipping, regardless of observation. However, in the quantum realm, observation itself plays a crucial role in determining the state of a particle.
In classical physics, exemplified by a traditional coin toss, the outcome is determined as soon as the coin lands, even if no one observes it. The coin will always have a heads side and a tails side, and its state is fixed upon landing, irrespective of whether someone looks at it or not. Our lack of knowledge about the outcome does not affect the coin's actual state.
Quantum mechanics, however, introduces a fundamentally different perspective. In the quantum world, particles can exist in a superposition of states until they are observed or measured. A hypothetical "quantum coin" would not have a definite state until interaction occurs. This is not merely a lack of information but a fundamental property of quantum systems.
The famous Schrödinger's cat thought experiment illustrates this concept on a macroscopic scale. In this scenario, a cat is placed in a sealed box with a radioactive source and a poison that will be released when the source decays. According to quantum mechanics, until the box is opened, the cat is theoretically in a superposition of states - both alive and dead simultaneously.
However, this apparent paradox can be resolved through the principles of quantum decoherence and the Copenhagen interpretation. Decoherence explains how quantum superpositions break down when a quantum system interacts with its environment. In the case of Schrödinger's cat, the cat, being a macroscopic object, constantly interacts with its environment inside the box. These interactions cause rapid decoherence, collapsing the quantum superposition into a definite state (either alive or dead) long before the box is opened.
This resolution bridges the gap between quantum mechanics and our classical understanding of reality. It demonstrates that while quantum effects are prevalent at the microscopic level, they typically don't persist in large-scale systems due to constant environmental interactions. The act of observation doesn't determine the cat's fate; rather, it reveals the already-determined state resulting from decoherence.
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Comment on What moderate countries are left to emigrate to? in ~travel
AaronNight LinkFirst of all, do not panic. Even if Trump won, it doesn't mean that the country is doomed and will fall apart in a couple of months. After all, it took 20 years for Putin to became a tyrant, and...First of all, do not panic. Even if Trump won, it doesn't mean that the country is doomed and will fall apart in a couple of months. After all, it took 20 years for Putin to became a tyrant, and he was starting with circumstances in favor of him. The decision to relocate will impact your life much more than decision to stay, so you need to think about it carefully and rational. And if you finally decided, you have to take full responsibility for it.
If you still want to do it after all emotions are settled down, try to travel to a neighbouring country and live there for a month or two. In that way you could learn what unique challenges you will face as an immigrant. If you will find that all the issues are manageable and you actually feel better outside of USA then try to list everything that is most important to you in the future place of living. With that list it will be much more easier to reduce the scope for searching. Also it will help if you could travel to the final candidate countries and see for yourself if it will suit you.
Edit: I just realised that I assumed you are from USA, despite you didn't mention it in the post. I'm sorry if I'm wrong. Anyway I still think that this advise will help anyone from anywhere with first steps of moving.
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Comment on Great examples of explaining an algorithm (or even just a process) in ~engineering
AaronNight LinkIn my experience a lot of people perceive information better with visual images. If you want to describe abstract things, it is better to make them more concrete and describe through simplified...In my experience a lot of people perceive information better with visual images. If you want to describe abstract things, it is better to make them more concrete and describe through simplified models and analogies. But be aware that abstraction and details should not be hidden, but rather clearly distinguished from simplified models.
If you want to describe the sequence of steps of the algorithm, nothing works better than the sequence diagram.
If you want to show the change of state, then the flow chart will do the job. Also you might find useful activity diagram which is quite similar but more focused on blending algorithm with business processes.
And also there is BPMN to describe business processes and RACI matrix to describe roles.
I know, it is not exactly what you asked for, but over 15 years of engineering work I find this tools the most useful. By the way, thank you for the post! I hope to find some inspiration from other comments too :)
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Comment on DuckDuckGo seems like a significantly worse search engine than Google despite SEO bloat, and I think community discussions mislead people by omitting that in ~tech
AaronNight LinkI think you are right when you say that discussions of search engines often leave out some details. It seems to me that often such discussions come down to talking about general and non-specific...I think you are right when you say that discussions of search engines often leave out some details. It seems to me that often such discussions come down to talking about general and non-specific use cases. For example, people mean queries like “what to cook with eggs,” “what movie was this actor in,” or “why do wombats poop in cubes?”
Most people likely consider their usual profile of queries while discussing this topic. For instance, as a programmer, I evaluate search engines based on how easily I can find information related to computer science. For me, it turned out that the best search engine was Kagi.com, although it doesn’t know much about wombats. And during my university years I was an active user of Wolfram Alpha, but I wouldn't recommend it in general discussions now because it's too specific.
Based on my experience using DDG, it is a fairly good search engine for general queries. It's probably not perfect, but it found what I needed. I absolutely couldn't find rare or specific information with it, but it was enough for me to find out, for example, the director's filmography. I still think it is a good option if you don't want the search engine to track your geolocation or search history.
What topics do you usually search? How do you evaluate the quality of results?
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Comment on Favorite "cozy" games? in ~games
AaronNight LinkI'm a very huge fan of sandboxes and building, so my number one cozy game is Terraria. This game evolved very much through more than 10 years, and I think you could find any activity you like in...I'm a very huge fan of sandboxes and building, so my number one cozy game is Terraria. This game evolved very much through more than 10 years, and I think you could find any activity you like in it. There is huge aspect of building and exploration, small part of RPG, a bit of slasher and a lot of strategy if you want to fight bosses. So I switch to different goals in this game depending on my current mood.
Another favourite game is RimWorld. It is also a sandbox game with huge focus on colony management and dynamic storytelling.
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Comment on Who owns the code? If ChatGPT's AI helps write your app, does it still belong to you? in ~comp
AaronNight LinkFrom my point of view, if I use IDE to write code, the result does not belong to JetBrains or Microsoft. Same with AI assistents. I consider it as a tool that helps me to shape result code, but...From my point of view, if I use IDE to write code, the result does not belong to JetBrains or Microsoft. Same with AI assistents. I consider it as a tool that helps me to shape result code, but not to solve problems that need creative solutions.
I'm curious, what if in a prompt text I'll ask AI to add license of it's choice, and the license will be free, could I use the result output as a part of program?
Cool! I always thought that UNIX is focused on corporative clients and selling licenses for servers and workstations. What's your thoughts on it as everyday desktop OS? What is different to your previous Linux flavor?